Brake



2 Sheets Sheet 1. W. L. BASS. BRAKE.

( 0 Mam.

No. 579,376. Patented Mar. 23, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 shae ats sheet 2.

W. L. BASS.

BRAKE. No. 579,876.- Patented Mar. 23, 1897 EM llnrrnn rn'rns WILLIAM L. BASS, or BROOKLYN, new YORK.

BRAKE.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,376, dated March 23, 1897.

Application filed October 23, 1896. Serial No. 609,812. (No model.)

To all whom it natty concern:

Be it known that I, \VILLIAM L. BASS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved brake for bicycles which is operated automatically by retarding or arresting the motion of the pedals, so that an effective brake action takes place, and thereby the use of the unreliable hand-brake mechanisms is dispensed with; and the invention consists of a foot-power brake for bicycles which comprises a sprocketwheel having a flange at its inner circumfen ence; toggle-jointed levers, the inner members of which are keyed to the axle, while the outer members are pivoted to the flange at the inner circumference of the sprocket-wheel, said in nor members having a pin-and-slot connection with the outer ends of the inner members of the toggle-levers; brake-shoes applied to the inner ends of the outer members of the toggle-levers, and a brake-disk applied to the frame and against which the brake-shoes are applied when the motionof the sprocket-wheel is reversed, as will be fully described herein after and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a sprocketwheel for bicycles with my improved brake attachment in part section on line 1 1, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail end elevation of one of the brake-carrying members of the toggle-lever. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modified construction of my improved brake for bicycles which in contradistinction to the main form of the invention acts outwardly and not inwardly. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line 5 5, Fig. 4:. Fig. (3 is a vertical transverse section of a brake-ring arranged for the outward brake action of the shoes, and Fig. 7 is an end View of one of the brakeshoe-carrying lever-arms.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a motion transmitting wheel, preferably a sprocket-wheel, applied to the crank-axle or driven axle of a bicycle. Sidewise of the sprocket-wheel is arranged a brake-disk B, which is supported in any suitable manner on the frame of the machine. The sprocketwheel A is provided with an interior flange a, to which are pivoted one or more togglejointed levers D D. The inner members D of the toggle-levers are keyed at to the crank-axle C, while the outer members D, which are pivoted to the inner flange a, are applied by means of slotted portions to pivots d at the outer ends of the inner members of the toggle-levers, as shown clearly in Fig. 1.

The outer members D are extended beyond the pivots d and provided with arc-shaped brake-shoes E, the curvature of which corresponds to that of the circumference of the brake-disk B. The outer members D" of the toggle-levers are acted upon by flat springs 6, so that the brake-shoes E are moved away from the circumference of the brake-disk B by said springs, the brake-shoes assuming a position away from the disk, as shown in Fig. 1, under the influence of the springs and during the normal position of the brake, which has the tendency to take up slack of pedals or crank-axle.

\Vhen the sprocket-wheel is turned by the pedals in the usual direction for imparting forward motion to the bicycle, no brake action takes place, especially as the position of the exterior relatively to the interior portion of the sprocket-wheel does not change, owing to a disk-shaped web A that connects the circumference of the sprocket-wheel with the hub H of the inner members Dof the togglelevers, which hub is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

\Vhen the in otion of the bicycle is to be interrupted, the pedal motion is retarded through a back action on the pedals by the feet of the cyclist, and the motion of the sprocketwheel is thereby retarded, so that by the action of the toggle-levers their outermembers D and their brake-shoes E are moved inwardly and applied to the circumference of the brakedisk, so as to exert a powerful inward brake action thereon. This inward movement of the brake-shoes is due to the members of the toggle-levers being arranged at obtuse angles to each other. As soon as the retarding motion of the pedals is stopped and the forward motion thereof resumed the brake-shoes are immediately returned into their former position away from the circumference of the brake-disk, so that the brake action is interrupted and the forward motion of the bicycle resumed.

In place of applying the brake-shoes E to the outer circumference of the brake-disk B the brake action can also be produced by the contact of the brake-shoes with the interior circumference of the brake-disk B. This arrangement is shown in the modified construction, Figs. at to 7. In this case the outer ends of the outer members D of the toggle-levers are pivoted to the interior flange a of the sprocket-wheel A, while the opposite ends of the outer members are pivoted to the interior members D by means of a pin-and-slot con nection, and the brake-shoes E are applied to the inner members near their inner pivots, said brake-shoes corresponding in curvature to the inner circumference of the brake-disk, which in this case is provided with a concentric friction-ring B for the brake-shoes, as shown clearly in Figs. 4 and (5.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4 the inner members of the toggle-levers are made much shorter than the inner members of the toggle-levers shown in Fig. 1, while the outer members are made correspondingly longer, so as to provide the necessary length for applying the brake-shoes to the same.

The operation shown in the modified construction shown in Fig. 4is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 8, only that the brake action takes place by the contact of the brakeshoes with the inner circumference of the brake-disk instead of with the outer circumference of the same, and this outward action is due to the members of the toggle being arranged at acute angles to one another. By my improved brake construction a footpower brake is obtained which is much more brake action on the tire and the consequent wear of the same are entirely dispensed with. The brake construction described may also be used for other power-transmitting wheels, pulleys, or other rotary bodies in which a quick brake action is required.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A brake, consisting, in combination, of a wheel, a crank-axle, a fixed brake-disk, and toggle-levers, the inner members of which are fixed to the crank-axle, and the outer members of which are pivoted to the wheel, and are provided with brake-shoes, substantially as set forth.

2. A brake, consisting of a wheel, togglelevers arranged at the side of the wheel, the inner members of the toggle-levers being fixed to the cranlcaxle, and the outer members of the same being pivoted to the wheel and extending beyond the connections between said members, brake-shoes applied to the inner ends of the outer members of the toggle-levers, and a brake-disk applied to the frame of the machine, substantially as set forth.

3. A brake for bicycles, consisting of a number of toggle-levers arranged within the driving sprocket-wheel of the bicycle, the inner members of the toggle-levers being fixed to the axle while the outer members are pivoted to the interior circumferential flange of the sprocket-wheel, springs acting on the outer members of the toggle-levers; brake-shoes applied to the inner extensions of the outer members, and, a friction-disk against which the brake-shoes are pressed whenever the motion of the sprocket-wheel is retarded, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. L. BASS.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, GEO. L. WHEELooK. 

